There is a mordant sadness, that is nearly tangible, about such a miserable February morning as this one . Normal antidotes, such as lighting the fire, and listening to Radio 4 with a steaming bowl of coffee cupped between slowly warming hands, seem to have as much chance of success as did the Forlorn Hope at the siege of Badajoz. Nonetheless, I have advanced boldly into the withering fire of this overwhelmingly depressing morning only to find that the defenders are falling like flies. Warm brioche, spread thickly with good butter and apricot jam, working in tandem with excellent coffee, have made a pretty good fist of driving out the blues, which had insidiously invaded my Sunday from the moment that I drew back the curtains this morning. The direct link between palate and spirit is clearly established as the smile on my face spreads as easily as the butter on the toasted brioche.

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About Food,Photography & France

Photographer and film maker living in France. After a long career in London, my wife and I have settled in the Vendee, where we run residential digital photography courses with a strong gastronomic flavour.

Ha ha – I have a great antidote to cold wet Sunday mornings, the Islington Farmers’ Market – then I rush home for Radio 4 comedy and the Food Programme.
No brioche and jam for me, but I did get 2 more pheasants (don’t worry I’ve already blogged more than enough pheasant for one season) 😉

i think i need that, when i got up this morning and saw more cloud and more cold and more wind, my shoulders drooped noticeably.. I do have some peach jam in my cellar still, and maybe I will make scones, that might do it!! no brioche around here.. c

No brioche here, Roger, but I made do with a cannoli. A rainy Sunday morning isn’t the most pleasant to have but, considering what just happend to the East of us, rain isn’t such a bad thing after all.

I think that your ‘cure’ is absolutely fantastic & I would submit that this ‘mordant sadness’ can just as easily manifest itself on a steaming hot, sunny Sunday morning in August, in Florida. While we are not there yet, of course, I am actually not looking forward to that. And when it comes would probably gladly trade it for your February Sunday morning.
And now, this being Sunday afternoon, I am going to make myself a strong cup of Assam Banaspaty Estate Tea and accompany that with a toasted roll, some organic butter, and strawberry preserve!
Cheers & best wishes!

That sounds a wonderful afternoon tea. I’ve never been to Florida, but I can imagine that the heat and the humidity of summer could be hell. I’m really enjoying the pictures and cyanotypes on your site, and I very much liked the water picture, today.

Passing the full length mirror methinks it is just as well no brioche or jam around . . . it is raining cats and dogs here and thundering in between: no ‘mordant sadness’ whatsoever – together with all the many plants in my garden I am saying ‘thank you’ to the Powers above for the wonderful soak 🙂 !

If the blues can be driven, this softened,sweetened apricot-topped brioche could surely do it! Stone fruit jams are favorites of mine, and brioche? Who doesn’t love brioche? Really, what could be finer in February??